Improvement in steering apparatus



E. L. YOUNG.

- STEERING APPARATUS. N 190,177. y A Patente d M ay1,1l877.

WITNESSES INVENTEIR ziw g y 5;;

NAPEIEIFS, FKOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

TINITED STATES PATENT Onroa EDWARD L. YOUNG, or NORFOLK, VIRGINIA} IMPROVEMENT IN STEERING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,177, dated May 1, 1877 application filed March 29, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. YOUNG, of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new andvaluable Improvement in Means for Raising Ships Rudders and Manner of Hanging the Same; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. I

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation of a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing a modification. Fig. 3 is a top-plan view of a portion of the deck, showing the means used to suspend the rudder and Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section of the screw-threaded sleeve.

This invention has relation to the manner of hanging or suspending the rudders of vessels; and the object and purpose thereof is to so hang the rudder that it will admit of being raised from its usual position when required, and thereby securing it against all danger of being injured and rendered use1essas, for instance, when the vessel may be run ashore or aground, strained, or otherwise injured; and when gotten out of danger, the rudder can be at once loweredto its usual or proper position, and brought into immediate use. v

Previous to my invention the usual method of securing the vessels rudder to the sternpost has been by the use of pintles and gadgeons.

My invention consists in so hanging the rudder that the necessity of the pintles is entirely dispensed with by the use of a strong metallic rod to pass through the eyes of the gudgeons, both on the rudder and the sternpost, and having a portion of its upper end screw-threaded, which passes through a screwthreaded sleeve secured to the rudder, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and subsequently pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a stern-post of a vessel, and B the rudder. To this stern-post are secured a series of gudgeons, a, and to the lower portion is secured a blind-gndgeon, b. The rudder B also has gudgeons c, and is connected to the stern-post bya stout rod, 0, the same passing through the-gndgeons, and the end resting on a concavity formed upon the upper face of said blind-gudgeon.

It will be noticed that the gudgeons are so placed in relation to each other that the space between them is equal to the distance that is required for the rudder to be lifted; and when the rudder is at its lowest point the gudgeons thereon will rest upon the sternpost gudgeons and it is considered desirable to place a washer, d, between each pair ofgudgeons, to prevent wearing. To that portion of the rudder a little above the stern-post there is affixed a screw-sleeve, e, of sufficient strength to sustain the weight of the rudder when raised. Through this sleevee passes the screw-threaded portion of the rod 0., said rod having upon its upper end a squareprojection, f, by which the rod is operated by a suitable ys 9' The rod 0 may be made any length found desirable at the point above the rudder, and should the wood-work or deck obstruct its working, a suitable hole may be cut through the wood-work, and the rod or its appendages n'ecessary to work it can be continued in length through and above the wood-work; and should the rod 0 be found inconvenient on account of its length, it may be cut in two parts, as shown in Fig. 2, forming an upper and lower section. If it be thus divided it will benecessary to place on the head of the stern-post a stout metallic cap, h, having a stout thick flange on each side of it to lit closely to the sides of-thest'ern-post. The after portion of this cap is shaped so as to form a blind-gudgeon, t, which must conform in size and shape to the gndgeons below it; To the forward end of the cap is a strong tail or brace, j, bolted to the wood-work below it, said cap being hinged to the brace, so that itican be raised and. turned back when required, to enter the lowersection of the divided'rod into the gudgeons. A pin, it, passes through, or is connected to, the end of the lower section of the rod, to prevent the same, from slipping down in case any accident should happen to the lower bliud-gudgeon on the stern-post, thus rendering it more secure.

The lower section of the divided rod will be stationary, and only the upper section will'be made to rotate in the manner and by the means before stated, and while thus rotating will raise or lower the screw-threaded sleeve 0, and, consequently, the rudder to which it is attached. When the rudder is raised the strain of its weight'on the threads of the rod 0 can be greatly relieved by the use of pivoted bars Z, which are swung around and brought underneath shoulders on bearingplates m, secured to each side of the rudder. When the rudder is raised, the tiller D,which is of the ordinary construction, should be lashed amidship, to prevent it from playing back and forth. U Having now fully described my invention, what I' claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

"ED'WARD" L. rouse.

- Witnesses:

EDWIN GRAY, H CHARLES J ."SMI'T'H. 

